Police raise concern over private security guards conniving with robbers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police have raised concern over the increasing incidents of security guards conniving with robbers to terrorize companies they are meant to protect.

The Flying Squad Unit, Crime Intelligence, and Crime Investigators probing the rampant incidents of attacks at fuel stations, supermarkets, and goods in transit have indicated that all leads point to connivance within these organizations.

In the last two weeks, several fuel stations have been attacked in areas of Wakiso, Luweero, Nakaseke, and Mayuge but investigators and operatives tasked to trace the thugs say guards and workers are often part of the robbery plans.

One of the recent incidents is the robbery at Nesta fuel station along Matugga-Semuto road where thugs attacked and killed one guard Francis Wetaka. The thugs also stole 2 Million Shillings while another guard Patrick Okuku escaped unhurt. Flying Squad, Crime Intelligence, and CMI are hunting for Okuku to explain how his colleague was attacked and killed as he watched on.

Alex Onyango, one of the administrators at Hash Security Limited where Wetaka and Okuku worked, said they are collaborating with all security agencies to ensure that the suspect is apprehended.

Onyango added that sometimes the problem is with their clients who reject their advice of having at least two armed guards. According to Onyango, they often look at the value of the business and determine that it is risky to have only one armed guard but the clients reject their advice in a bid to save money.

Another challenge Onyango cites is the restriction on the number of ammunition each gun should contain. He however declined to reveal the number of bullets that should be in the guns.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga cites another incident where gold worth 5 Billion Shillings was stolen at gunpoint in Bweyale, Kiryandongo district, during the Easter holidays. Enanga says there was possible connivance of the drivers and workers of the company.

Enanga has since identified the drivers of the van which was transporting the gold as Mumbere Mufazala and Goburi Charles. The duo claims their van UBE 081M was waylaid by armed thugs in a Toyota Wish, who tied them and fled with the gold.

“Flying Squad and Kiryandongo police are hunting for thugs that stole these eight packets of gold ounces. The drivers say when they reached Bweyale, they were waylaid by thugs in a Wish. They tied them and drove away with the gold and their phones. We suspect there was connivance,” Enanga said.

In just two weeks, at least five petrol stations have been attacked and robbed. But investigations point to connivance while other incidents have been blamed on private security companies that deploy guards with fault guns or just only batons.

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